LEMON MISO SOBA NOODLE BOWL

This bright lemony miso dressing is the perfect compliment to the earthy soba noodles, while the crunch from the radish and cucumber adds just the right amount of texture. Make the dressing ahead of time and throw this bowl together in a pinch.

SHAVED ASPARAGUS AND KALE SOCCA

I first discovered socca, also know as farinata, when I was visiting my friend in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Every pizza place we went to offered a slice of this flatbread to go on top of your pizza. What was the point of this? An extra protein boost? To soak up the oil on top of the pizza? I wasn't a fan...

However, the lightbulb went off in my head that this pizza topping would be a perfect gluten-free, high-protein, high-fiber pizza or flatbread crust. I then suddenly saw this popping up all over food blogs and sites so I decided to give it a try myself.

Think of socca as a blank canvas for whatever you want to put on top. I love it with a pesto and some marinated veggies, but feel free to experiment with other combinations.

Chickpea flour?

It's literally just dried chickpeas that are ground into a flour -- something you can easily do at home if you have a food processor or high-speed blender.

Chickpea flour is very high in protein and fiber, which makes for a perfect addition to any vegetarian meal or just for a boost of protein. It's also rich in lots of micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, folate, and B vitamins.

Instructions:For the leek pesto, in a food processor or high-speed blender, add the leek, cashews, garlic, Parmesan (if using), miso, and lemon juice. Blend until it reaches a uniform consistency, then add in the olive oil and blend until smooth. Taste and add salt, pepper, or more lemon juice, to taste.

For the socca, preheat the oven to 450 and place your cast iron skillet in the oven. In a medium bowl, combine the chickpea flour, salt, and pepper. Add in 1 cup of room temperature water and 2 tbsp of olive oil and whisk to combine. Let sit for 15 minutes, or until it resembles a thinner pancake batter. Add water if too thick.

Remove the pan from the oven, add 1 tbsp olive oil and swirl to coat. Pour in the batter and let bake for about 15 minutes, or until the center is firm and edges begin to turn golden. Set aside and let cool while you prepare the shaved asparagus and kale salad.

For the shaved asparagus and kale, in a mason jar, combine the red wine vinegar, olive oil, garlic, Dijon, salt, and pepper. Shake vigorously to emulsify. Place the kale in a medium bowl and pour half of the dressing on top. Using your hands, massage the kale for about 1 minute to break it down. Add in the shaved asparagus, mint, and remaining dressing. Toss gently to combine.

To assemble, spread about ½ cup (or more) on top of the socca in an even layer. Then top with the shaved asparagus, kale salad, and fresh grated Parmesan or Manchego cheese, if desired. Slice and serve immediately!

CHICKPEA BEET PATTIES WITH TAHINI SAUCE

Grain bowls are my go-to dinners most of the time. All you need to do is a little prep and you can enjoy them all week. Batch cook some quinoa, make a sauce, roast some veggies, fry an egg and VOILA!

Anyone else not a fan of roasting beets? Ya they can take a while and then you have to peel the skin off and all of a sudden you find yourself with irreversible shirt stains and very unpleasantly pink tinted fingernails and skin. Well, don't wear your favorite shirt and accept the fact that your hands still might get stained -- it's oh so worth it.

These little patties are perfect on grain bowls slathered with this creamy tahini sauce. These patties are packed full of protein, fiber, iron, calcium, and magnesium, and potassium to name a few.

BEETS BEETS BEETS!

I love cooking with beets, not only for the beautiful color they create but they're also jam-packed full of nutrition. They're rich in folate, manganese, fiber, iron, and potassium.

Beets are commonly used medicinally for liver detoxification. They contain a substance called betaine and a fiber called pectin, both of which help the liver get rid of any harmful toxins.

LASTLY, beets are high in nitrates which your body converts to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide dilates your blood vessels, increasing blood flow to your muscles allowing them to use oxygen more efficiently. Simply put, your muscles take longer to fatigue. So eat beets, they just might make you run faster!

InstructionsAdd the chickpeas to a large bowl and use a fork or your hands (highly recommended) to mash them all up. Add the rest of the ingredients to the bowl and use your hands to mix and mash thoroughly. Form into 8 small patties. If patties aren't easy to form it's probably because you need to mash up the chickpea some more!

In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to coat the pan. Place the patties in the pan, press down gently and cook for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Flip, gently press again and cook another 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.

To make the sauce, whisk together all of the ingredients in a small bowl. If too thick, add water to thin out. The sauce will thicken up in the fridge, so just add water until it's to your desired thickness.

Enjoy these patties over a bed of quinoa with roasted veggies and slathered in tahini sauce.

RASPBERRY LEMON CASHEW GRANOLA

I've had this obsession with freeze dried raspberries and strawberries lately. I've been putting them in my energy balls, granola, and just eating them straight up!

I have vidid childhood memories of eating this cereal called Raspberries and Cream and remember the bursts of tart raspberries that created this sweet pink raspberry milk at the end. Sooo delicious.

I was at Trader Joe's and saw they had a bunch of freeze-dried fruit and I had a granola epiphany. Soon thereafter, my Lemon Raspberry Cashew Granola was born and it tastes sooo good!

The tangy raspberries and tart lemon flavor is the perfect match to the sweet oat clusters. Don't forget to drink the pink milk at the end!

Protein packed

Quinoa Flakes

A lot of times I feel like granola isn't a complete breakfast since it typically doesn't have much protein. Enter quinoa flakes! They are a great addition to any granola to get a little protein boost. These flakes are also high in fiber, offering slightly more than a serving of oats. Combine the two and you've got yourself a boat load of fiber to kick off your day and keep you full.

Chia Seeds

Another protein and nutrient packed ingredient. They are super high in omega-3 fats, calcium, iron, and potassium to name a few. These little guys absorb an insane amount of water, which help to keep your body hydrated and to retain electrolytes -- super important for any endurance athlete.

Cashews

Yup, you guessed it -- another protein powerhouse! Anybody else obsessed with the creaminess and slight sweetness of cashews? They are also a great source of zinc, magnesium, and monounsaturated fats.

InstructionsPreheat the oven to 275F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa flakes, shredded coconut, cashews, chia seed, and salt.

In small pot over low heat, combine the tahini, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir until coconut oil is just melted and everything is combined. Add wet ingredients to the dry and mix to combine.

Bake at 275 for 45 minutes, or until slightly golden. Allow to cool completely so those magical clusters can form. Once cool, break into clusters and transfer to an air-tight container.